As President George W. Bush puts together the coalition to
fight the war against terrorism, Americans need to bear in mind
who in the Middle East really are our friends and allies. Right
now, many of our enemies are pretending to be friends simply to
protect themselves.

Israel has been in the front line in the fight against terrorism
for a long time, yet she has managed to overcome the tragedies
and isolation this fight has brought her. Israel is our friend
and ally.

Some Americans make the mistake of thinking that the sudden
moderation by the Palestinian leadership represents friendship
with the U.S. Not so. Just five days after the attacks in New
York and elsewhere, Marwan Bargouti, Yasser Arafat's right-hand
man and the head of the Tanzim militia responsible for many terrorist
attacks in the past year, did not mince words at a rally in Ramallah:
"The U.S. is the world's terrorism leader." Three days
after that, Hamas spiritual leader Shiek Ahmed Yassin in Gaza
City declared that the U.S. is launching "an open battle
against Islam."

This is just the tip of the iceberg. Why, you may ask, are
you not hearing this? The answer is simple and frightening: The
press is being intimidated by daily death threats. The Associated
Press has film from the night of the attacks in the U.S. of over
2,000 Palestinians, and some leaders, celebrating in Nablus. However,
the AP was subjected to numerous death threats and Palestinian
Authority officials high-handedly said, "their lives cannot
be guaranteed" if this film is shown.

Australian TV 9 has similar video but is withholding it out
of fear. A Norwegian news crew was arrested and held for several
days because of similar attempts at reporting. The Canadian Broadcasting
Corporation has vigorously protested, but to no effect.

Tanzim militia youth even turned their weapons at other reporters
who tried to cover the celebrations.

In Israel there was an extraordinary outpouring of grief and
support for America. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon declared the
day after the attacks a "national day of mourning."
Foreign Minister Shimon Peres spoke at a massive rally in Tel
Aviv the following Saturday about the greatness of America. The
reaction of Israelis was so powerful, it moved me to tears.

Yes, I saw Mr. Arafat give blood for the victims of New York.
But I also was in Jerusalem when the Sbarros restaurant was blown
up. An American was killed, and I didn't see Mr. Arafat giving
blood. I have seen other terrorist attacks and its victims, and
I assure you that the Palestinian Authority leaders are bloodthirsty
terrorists themselves. They are talking supportively of the U.S.
out of necessity to protect themselves right now.

A good illustration of this is Iran. Imad Mughniyeh was one
of the founders of Hezballah in Lebanon, spearheading Iran's terrorist
export effort. Under his guidance, 241 American servicemen and
women were killed in the bombing of the Marine barracks in Beirut,
and scores more in the bombing of the U.S. Embassy. Hezballah
then took and held several Americans hostage through most of the
1980s. Since then, Hezballah has carried out numerous terrorist
attacks worldwide including the mid-1990s bombings in Argentina.
Today, Hezballah is setting up a terrorist training camp in FARC-controlled
Colombia, the "backdoor" to attacking American interests
directly.

A superficial glance shows Iran today is falling over itself
to support the U.S. in the war against terrorism. Of course it
is! Iran is only trying to protect Hezballah. Imad Mughniyeh was
named by Israeli intelligence to American authorities six weeks
before the attacks as one of two who were setting up nearly 200
terrorists inside the U.S. for a major attack.

The lesson: Our enemies from the past continue to be our enemies.
Likewise, our friends from the past continue to be our friends.
Ronald Reagan described our friendship with Israel as "an
ironclad bond." That remains true in this war.

# # #

Joe Roche is an adjunct fellow of The National Center for Public
Policy Research, a Washington, D.C. think tank. An American, he
volunteered his service to the Israeli Defense Force in October
2000, following the lynching of Israeli soldiers in Ramallah.
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